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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22689790">The Friends We Made</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/aeroa113/pseuds/aeroa113'>aeroa113</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Hop Healing Hurdles [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters: Sword &amp; Shield | Pokemon Sword &amp; Shield Versions</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Childhood Friends, Childhood Sweethearts, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Insecurity, Pokemon, Pokemon Fanfiction, Pokemon Sword &amp; Shield Spoilers, Self-Indulgent</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 10:06:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,048</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22689790</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/aeroa113/pseuds/aeroa113</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Time is running out. Hop and the champion-to-be need to help Leon. However, it seems the conflict in his brain from his rival's successes are finally coming to light. She needs to help him come to his senses by showing him that winning isn't everything in a trainer's journey.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hop (Pokemon) &amp; Original Character(s), Hop/Yuuri | Gloria</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Hop Healing Hurdles [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1632154</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Friends We Made</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Crumbus slowly emerged from the fog. The scene laid out before her was quiet and serene, a strange but welcome contrast to the dense crowds and raucous cheering that had surrounded her in Pokemon stadiums for the past several weeks. An ancient archway and a single tombstone sat atop a slightly raised platform, and already there was her rival and best friend, Hop. He was facing away from her, admiring the same scene but so much closer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Silently she approached him. He turned around and grinned at her; he always seemed to know when she was around. “See that, Crumbus?” he asked, “It’s the sword and shield! The legends really were true!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A rusty sword and a crumbling shield sat at the foot of the tombstone. They looked ancient and fragile, like relics of a lost time. Carefully, Crumbus reached down and grabbed the broken sword by its hilt. Rust and dirt caked what once must have been a beautiful piece of blacksmithery; it left hard pebbles and reddish-brown stains on her hands. The sword was heavy, but felt almost… right. A good fit for her. She carefully laid the sword in her rucksack, then turned back to Hop.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hop was frowning at the shield in his hands. It looked in even worse condition than the sword. “It seems like it might fall to pieces if you so much as look at it funny,” he remarked with a shrug. “I don’t know how much these will be able to help us but… no time to waste!” He mirrored Crumbus by putting the shield into his bag and turning to face her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The two mutually took a moment to examine each other. A comfortable silence had fallen, and both recognized that this was probably their last chance to feel peaceful before they returned to Hammerlocke. Hop looked as though he had something he wanted to say, but couldn’t force his mouth to open. Crumbus gave a small smile, gesturing for him to try.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hop cleared his throat. “... Congrats, Crumbus.” Hop stuffed his hands into his jean pockets as he kicked a small rock at his feet, staring at it intently. “I know I kept sayin’ I was gonna be the Champion an’ all that… I was just, uh… real jealous of how well you fight and how well you and your team work together.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Crumbus smiled sadly, and opened her mouth to say something, but Hop continued. “I-I guess, we both changed so much since we left Potswick, and bein’ back in the Slumbering Weald again with you is… weird. Overwhelming. I mean,” he laughed, and suddenly thrusted a hand out towards Crumbus, “you died your hair for crying out loud! What happened to silly, quiet li’l Crumbus? You’ve right well come into your own, and, well…” Hop’s hand flopped back to his side, and he frowned at the ground again. “Here I am. Same as always.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ever since Bede had beaten him in that battle, Hop had been like this. Crumbus knew how hard he was being on himself. This outburst was a brief glimpse into Hop’s true thoughts; he didn’t show them much. She really, really hated to see him like this, eyebrows furrowed, mouth twisted into a frown with his eyes locked at some non-existent puzzle at their feet.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gently, Crumbus reached out a hand to set on Hop’s shoulder, and she planted a small kiss on his cheek. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hop went stiff, his shoulders tensing and his eyes widening and frantically trying to meet hers. His whole face, even his ears, quickly turned red. Crumbus giggled. “You’ve grown just as much as me,” she said quietly. “You’ve got your own team. You worked just as hard as me. You’re all that much better for it, and don’t you forget it. We gotta work together to save Leon, right? I was never able to do this alone. And neither can you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A moment of silence passed. Crumbus started to worry that she had gone too far, and had possibly even broken her friend; his face seemed frozen in shock. But finally, Hop’s shoulders relaxed and he set his hand on top of Crumbus’s. Finally, a pep talk seemed to get to him. Finally, it looked like he understood what she was saying. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finally, Hop seemed to give himself a break. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yer right,” he mumbled. “If I’m honest… I never really wanted to do this without you. This whole Gym Challenge. I always hoped it’d be you who would be my rival, ever since we were real young.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Crumbus rested her forehead against Hop’s. She felt the last of Hop’s tension leave his body as he sighed leaned against her. They both closed their eyes and fell into another mutual silence.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After a moment, it was actually Hop who initiated a full-on hug, burying his face into Crumbus’s jacket. She gladly returned the hug, gently, soothingly running her fingers up and down his back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>… the moment was promptly ruined once Crumbus snorted and started giggling. Hop laughed weakly and pulled away from the hug slightly to look at her, a questioning smirk on his face. “What’s so funny, huh?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s not how many Pokemon battles you’ve won… it’s the friends we made along the way.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Crumbus! Get out of here with that cheesy nonsense!” Hop laughed and playfully pushed Crumbus away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You can’t deny it, Hoppy!” Crumbus tried desperately to cling onto his jacket and snickered. “We’ve gotten so close to Marnie, and to Piers, and even got to know Bede a little bit more! And you got up to the semifinals with me an’ Marnie, fair and square! You’ve got friends who care about you, no matter how many wins you got under your belt!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t you add Bede in on this!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I most definitely will!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright, that’s it! We gotta go help Leon, Crumbus, quit with your yammering on about a frilly Fairy Gym Leader-to-be!” Hop broke free of Crumbus’s grip and ran down the stairs. He pulled out his Rotom Phone and called for a flying taxi.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Crumbus dusted herself off, still trying to shake the giggles. Hop rolled his eyes and knocked her on the shoulder. “Betcha I can make it to Motostoke stadium faster than you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Betcha can’t.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“May the better man win.”</span>
</p>
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